1. Field of the Invention
Our invention relates generally to an electrical vaporizer for a liquid substance, such as an aromatic liquid, an insecticide, or the like. In particular, our invention relates to a multi-functional vaporizer that, in addition to performing the basic function of vaporizing the liquid substance by means of an electrical heating device, can also be equipped with one or more additional functional devices, such as a draft regulator, a wick adjustment mechanism, a fan, a night light, an indicator light, a programmable user interface, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The worldwide market for electrical vaporizers for use with aromatic liquids, insecticides, and the like is extremely diverse both with respect to the technical specifications of the electrical components of the vaporizer and with respect to the functional capabilities demanded by users. Such diversity in the marketplace causes considerable problems for the manufacturers of these vaporizers, who, on the one hand, must produce different models tailored to meet the specific requirements of each market, yet, on the other hand, are under considerable pressure to reduce production costs in order to keep pace with their competitors.
As for the technical specifications of the electrical components, the problem does not lie so much in the safety standards of the components, because it is sufficient to adopt for all markets the most stringent regulations from among all the countries in which the vaporizer will be sold. Indeed, the savings that result from producing substantially homogeneous electrical components easily offset any increased costs of using higher quality components than may strictly be necessary.
Rather, a more difficult problem for manufacturers has to do with the varying market preferences as to which additional functional capabilities the vaporizer should be equipped with. In developing countries, for example, consumers typically want vaporizers capable of performing only very basic functions, such as heating, and possibly a few other simple features, such as an on/off indicator light, an on/off switch, or an extra electrical socket for replacing the one occupied by the vaporizer. In more advanced or wealthier countries, consumers typically want more complex vaporizers that are equipped with, for example, a fan, a programmable user interface, a night light, or other more sophisticated features.
Aesthetic appearance is also an important issue with vaporizers, especially wall-mounted ones that are often visibly displayed in one's home or place of work. But while the external appearance of vaporizers should be designed to meet current market preferences, such appearance should be easily and inexpensively modifiable, so that manufacturers (and also consumers) can keep up with the constantly evolving market trends.
Prior to our invention, the response of vaporizer manufacturers has been to produce and store in inventory a very large number of devices which vary from each other, not only with respect to the intrinsic technical characteristics of each device, but also with respect to the various additional features and aesthetic appearance of the device. Producing and maintaining large inventories, however, prevents manufacturers from reducing their production costs and creates a formidable barrier to further market expansion.